I distinctly remember his debut for the Wallabies, he came on as a late replacement in the game of the century. He only played 7 tests for the Wallabies before he ran into trouble as a result of an addiction to alcohol. Eventually, he left the Brumbies to rejoin the NRL playing for Manly however he ran into more trouble eventually being banned for testing positive for cocaine.

I read an article about him a year or so back in which he and his wife talked about his struggle with addiction and his attempts to straighten up (including by starting a lawn mowing business). Personally, I'm really pleased for the guy - unlike Wendall Sailor, who comes across as a deluded baffoon, Walker has always seemed pretty frank about his problems. I doubt he'll get close to international selection but it'd be great to see him in the Super 14.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Friday, February 23, 2007

The press coverage of Cheney's visit has been limited as has the blogosphere's. Small protests have been held in and around the city and we're continually buzzed by Blackhawk helicopters, using the visit as a training exercise for the forthcoming APEC meeting.

I doubt Howard will benefit from Cheney's visit. Cheney's praise for Australia's efforts sounds simply desparate; the thanks you offer a friend who you know is only on your team 'cause they weren't picked by the other side (and who you suspect might be about to fake an injury...). Worse still, the decision to send an additional 70 troops has been overshadowed by the reduction in the UK forces and crumbling of the Coalition of the Willing.

The real interest is in watching how Rudd plays his part. He's clearly not going to concede foreign policy to the Government and he has good reason to feel like he has Howard's measure - not least of all because he has overtaken Howard as preferred PM. I particularly like this comment from Polemica:

"Intelligent people have long since made up their mind on Iraq and the valour of the current United States administration. If you haven’t yet decided the war in Iraq was wrong-headed and morally reprehensible in consequence, you are not likely to. What is important now is whether or not the alternative government in this country can successfully impress itself upon the electorate as retrospective salve to the mistakes made by the conservatives."

Having watched the Ashes closely, I was amazed to see the Aussie's fall away so badly - even accounting for the fact that a number of players were missing from the side that toured NZ. NZ rugby has depth the equal of Australia's cricketing community, but take McCaw and Carter out of the starting XV and we might be as vulnerable as Hussey's team was in the Chappell/Hadlee.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

VP Cheney's in Sydney. Drumming up support for his pyramid-war scheme no doubt; Howard's a starter, Cossie too. Anyhoo, Dick's secruity means my block's a security risk... no one can get in or out for meetings without endless traffic and who can be arsed... Great stuff, picked up my youngest and had the afternoon off. Cheers Dick!

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

SBS has posted the highlights from the Insight debate regarding the detention of David Hicks (a full transcript is here). This debate includes both prosecuting and defense counsel, as well as his family and the Australian AG, Ruddock. Watching Terry Hicks struggle to calmly respond to the mock concern of Ruddock is quite something.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

A few years back, Ms backin15 and I travelled up to BrisVegas to see the decider in the last Chappell/Hadlee series... weather meant the game never started and the trophy was not awarded as the series was tied (we went to the Australian Zoo instead).

This seems a bit precious to me frankly - NZ's series against the Sri Lankan's was certainly not as long or as hard as the Ashes but otherwise it appears to me as if most sides in the World Cup have had similar schedules in '07 and few countries have anything like the depth Australia has (had).

The Reds lost in a boring game by playing boring rugby - rather than slagging the refs, he ought to be apologising for the fact that his side played in the lowest scoring game in the Super-rugby history...

This year's Super 14 is a tough competition. So tough that the pre-match entertainment can influence the outcome of a match according to the 'Tahs. Apparently, a combination of misguided parachutists and an extra two and half minutes at half time was enough to put the 'Tahs off their game...

I thought it was the three tries they gave up inside the first 20 mins.

Monday, February 19, 2007

You are a terrorist-loving, Bush-bashing, "blame America first"-crowd traitor. You are in league with evil-doers who hate our freedoms. By all counts you are a liberal, and as such cleary desire the terrorists to succeed and impose their harsh theocratic restrictions on us all. You are fit to be hung for treason! Luckily George Bush is tapping your internet connection and is now aware of your thought-crime. Have a nice day.... in Guantanamo!

Various media are quoting government sources as saying Hicks will be home by the end of the year apparently regardless of the outcome of his upcoming trial. This remarkable turnaround is both good news and an indictment on the Howard government.

Howard's initial attitude to Hicks was to declare him guilty by geographical association. He repeatedly declared Hicks a terrorist (Costello too, as recently as yesterday), deserving of his inhumane incarceration, despite Hicks having never been tried. In the last twelve months, Howard's battlers have become increasingly sympathetic to Hicks' plight if not his case, causing Howard to soften his position slightly. Recently, he made the claim that he could have had Hicks bought home at any point if he'd wanted but didn't think it appropriate (despite the fact that the UK did).

Now that he's finally realised Hicks will hurt him at the polls, Howard's trying to minimise the damage by saying he'll be bought home regardless of the verdict in the sham-trial that will soon begin. I bet that won't be until after the election - Hicks presence in Australia as either a free man or as a prisoner would severely damage the Liberals electoral prospects.

I've got to admit that when the Blackcaps lost their opening games in the CB series in Australia, I thought they were very ordinary and wasn't looking forward to the World Cup. It was the first time I'd seen Taylor and Fulton though and they looked good however they weren't being supported and even Fleming looked like he was in trouble.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

DFAT confirms that David Hicks access to toilet paper is restricted to 30 sheets at a time. If it wasn't so obscene, it'd be funny - in fact, I'm sure Rowan Atkinson had a gag about there being no toilets in hell because, as the Bible says, it's "damnation without relief".

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Tim Finn's playing the Enmore tonight to spruik his new album, Imaginary Kingdom. I saw him at a record release last year and I have to say I was a little disappointed - I'm not one of the Finn-fans that seem to need to prefer one Finn over the other and have seen Tim solo on a number of occassions and really enjoyed him.

The SMH story promoting his gig sadly confuses him with Neil - after first saying he is occasionally overshadowed by Neil... check out the little map that accompanies the story.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Actually, I do like that famous Quinn comment as Lomu stormed over the hapless Mike Catt, however this is better.

This is the commentary from the 2002/03 Ashes test in which Steve Waugh performed under immense pressure, pressure to retain his place in the side, on the third day at the SCG (Real Media here).

What I particularly like is the exchange between Kerry O'Keefe, a former Australian test player, and Jonathan Agnew, some English bloke, which includes this:

Agnew: There's a deep square leg, and a man behind from there at deep backward square. There's no one straight back, will Waugh dare come down the pitch and try and hit Dawson over the top?

O'Keefe: I think he's going to run down the pitch. They've had a chat, he and Gilchrist, Hussien's dragging it out. He's got two men in the out-field, but he's got mid-off and mid-on quite shallow.

Agnew: But he could come back tomorrow! He could come back and flick at good old Harmisson, a bit of a loosener on leg stump, pick it off for two...

O'Keefe: Stuff the silver, we come for the gold! Pom's would come back tomorrow, Aussies want it now! We're instant people. Come on Stephen!

Agnew: Now, Hussien's said whatever he wants to say. And Key has gone out to backward point. Oh, he hasn't finished fiddling! Vaughan's coming in. And deep mid-wicket's coming in.

O'Keefe: He's going to play the slog-sweep. All three are going over or he gets his hundred. If Dawson pitches middle-and-off, he's in the frame but so's Steve Waugh because he's just got, you know he's going to play this stroke...

Agnew: Oh this is extraordinary....

O'Keefe: It's death or glory off the last ball of the third day...

Agnew: He's going to block it. 233 for five. Here we go. Dawson comes up and bowls to Waugh who drives... and drives through the offside for his hundred... that is extraordinary... and Steve Waugh; a man of little emotion, can barely restrain himself now. His helmet's off... Alec Stewart shakes his hand... You could not have scripted anything more remarkable than we've seen here this afternoon..."

You can watch it here if you'd like, the commentary's not nearly so good but...

Chippy's been to Barcelona - I lurve Barcelona, would damn well live there if only I was gorgeous, young and, well Spanish. Anyhoo, Sagrada Familia is the only building I've ever seen in my life that quite literally left me speechless. To me, it seems alive, organic even.

I watched a compilation of All Blacks games from '96 to 2006; Justin Marshall really was that good, Cullen was as good a Wing as he was a Fullback (but not Centre), Mehrtens had the most sublime pass, what did Alatini do wrong specifically?

Australia are right to rest Gilly and Punter and NZ may still struggle in the Chappell/Hadlee but the Australians are vulnerable as the English have proven (and, weather permitting, the bloody Poms may even win the ODI competition - rain has delayed the current game at the SCG - wish I was there... oh Gilly's gone; bowled, lovely ball that and now Pup too - beautiful seaming outswinger, marvelous).